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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Did Billy the Kid Really Wear A Sugarloaf Sombrero?

May 30, 2018 Now that I'm reclaiming a few pages for the third edition of "The Illustrated Life & Times of Billy the Kid," I have returned to the image of the Kid wearing a sugarloaf sombrero. The reference comes from Pat Garrett, himself, who claimed, in his 1882 book, that the lawmen got wind Billy was reported to be wearing a Mexican sugarloaf with a green hatband. This was during the December, 1880 manhunt, and, unfortunately, Garrett's posse shot Charlie Bowdre who was wearing the same exact hat (or, he borrowed Billy's to go feed the horses at Stinking Springs). Anyway, I wasn't happy with my previous version of Billy wearing the sugarloaf, so this morning I did this new one:

"The Kid Sporting A .45 and A Sugarloaf"

Now some have questioned whether this style was popular at the time the Kid rode, and that the sugarloafs we celebrate came into prominence during the Mexican Revolution, c. 1914-17, but I have found a photo from pretty close to Billy's time, taken in Old Mexico that seems to confirm the style was probably concurrent with the Lincoln County War period.

Garrett claimed the Kid got his headgear from hats made in Chihuahua and brought up the Santa Fe Trail to New Mexico. So I think it's safe to say the Kid may have bought and preferred a sugarloaf sombrero, although it doesn't explain the crappy slouch hat he's wearing in his only known photograph.

Definitely NOT A Sugarloaf Sombrero!

"There is no truth, there is no history, there is only the way the story is told."—Richard Avedon

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About Me

Bob Boze Bell's work has appeared in Arizona Highways, Playboy, National Lampoon, the Arizona Republic and True West magazine.
For ten years (2002-20012) he did a video version of True West Moments which ran on the Westerns Channel.
BBB can currently be seen on the series "Gunslingers" which runs on the American Heroes Channel.
Triple B is also the President and executive editor of True West magazine, positions he has held since 1999.
He has written a dozen books on Old West characters like Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Wild Bill Hickok and a three-part series (so far) on Classic Gunfights which appear in True West. These popular, heavily illustrated books have sold over 90,000 copies, so far.
In 2014 he published a visual memoir of growing up on Route 66 called "The 66 Kid," and he is currently working on a bio of Geronimo.
As for retirement, BBB says, "Work is only work if you'd rather be someplace else. And I'm exactly where I want to be."